Crash World
by 20FacesChizu
Summary: Sakura's world comes crashing down when she discovers that she's been betrothed. With her choice between Kamizuki Izumo and Hatake Kakashi looming, who will she choose before her fate is chosen for her? Can love, even now, truly conquer all?
1. Declaration of Intent

_**Disclaimer:** Masashi Kishimoto lacks my twisted mind; be thankful. I was just craving some KakaSaku goodness._

_**Important Note:** Arranged marriages aren't uncommon in the orient; girls in Japan are eligible for marriage at 16. At least it's not like Korea where girls are married off at 13. Much better, ne? But still, this plot popped into my head, and since I like Izumo and he's such a little-used character (despite his being a total bishie!) I decided to make him Kakashi's romantic competition. (smiles) Don't you love me? (fends off pitchforks)_

**_Crash World _**

_Kyuubi Tenshi _

**Chapter 1- Declaration of Intent **

Konohagakure had, surprisingly, encountered a lazy, quiet morning. It was early spring, and a mist hung through the streets, just beginning to evaporate courtesy of the chill morning sun that was slowly ascending the sky. All was peaceful, so utterly beguiling that morning, that a certain pink-haired medic had no idea what lay before her. She thought the day would be ideal.

It was beautiful outside.

The temperature was perfect.

It was Sunday.

Sasuke was getting out of the hospital from Tsunade's treatments today.

They had a picnic planned.

Things couldn't get any better than that. Excited, she passed over her usual garb, and grabbed a pair of simple white jean shorts, matching it with a green kimono-style top that held the Haruno symbol on the back. For an even nicer look, she pulled on a pair of black sandals, rather than her typical blue pair, and tied her still-short hair back in a cute ponytail, wrapping a white silk bow around the rubber-band. Picking up some basic weapons and stuffing a few extras in her messenger bag, Sakura shot out her bedroom door, skipping the narrow steps and simply gliding down the handrail, giggling girlishly at the ride. She dashed by the kitchen door, but stopped before leaving when her mother called out.

"Sakura, your father and I need to speak with you," she said, her tone serious. But Sakura was in too good a mood to notice. She smiled brightly, her reply flippant.

"Okay! I'll see you when I come home then! Team 7 has a picnic planned to celebrate Sasuke-kun's return, and if I don't get going, I'll be late, but I'll definitely talk to you when I get back! Later!" And even though her mother protested, nothing could be done, for the beryl-eyed kunoichi had already shot through the door and down the street, a teasing tune drifting happily from her lips as she made her way over buildings and through lesser-used streets towards their old training grounds.

"Sakura-chan!" She returned the wave given her by the energetic blonde that greeted her, eyes lighting up even more as she spotted Sasuke standing behind him. The raven-haired boy looked at her, and a bit of a smile appeared on his face, though no more than usual. Kakashi also greeted her in casual familiarity.

Though he seemed to look at her a bit strangely, for some reason…

She shrugged it off, deeming to consider it her fantastic imagination. Besides, she was too bouncy and hyper at the moment to think over such things.

"Are you guys ready to eat, or shall we do something else first?" she asked, setting her bag down next to a large oak. Naruto was blatantly in favor of eating right then, but Sasuke said that, if possible, he wanted to see how much Sakura had improved, since he'd already seen Naruto's skills. She blushed a little, that he wanted to see her improvement as well, but obliged him, removing the silken kimono-top and revealing a tight mesh shirt beneath, walking over to the center of the clearing and making sure all her weapons were in place, even if she didn't use them often. Sasuke positioned himself opposite her, and the moment Kakashi said "Go," he disappeared, as if into thin air. Sakura wasn't fooled; as close to the Jounin exams as it was, of course she was on top of her game, and had no intention of allowing the Uchiha, crush though he be, to win against her.

"Not up, on either side, or behind, thus-!" she cut off, heaving back her fist and forcing chakra into it, striking the ground with all her might. It was so classic; why did the boys so _love_ to hide underground? But I refrain; the moment her fist touched the ground, the earth beneath it shattered, revealing the hiding prodigy amongst the new rubble. Even though the boy was thoroughly shocked, if not pleasantly surprised, he shot from his hiding place, kunai in hand and Sharingan at the ready; she had definitely become more of a taijutsu type, but she still relied on a few techniques other than that.

He struck, kunai deflecting off one she'd drawn as a counter. He wasn't going to go at her with harm intended just yet; he had other wishes. Truth be told, in a friendly match, his bloodline was an unfair advantage, but for now, he contented himself to only use it for dodging her, surprisingly unpredictable, attacks. But a devious smirk graced her pale pink lips, and he wondered what on earth she was up to. Their weapons ground at each other in their hands, and her eyes crinkled with restrained laughter.

"Now I get to show you something that neither Naruto nor Tsunade-shishou knows about; a special little something just for you that I developed with Kakashi-sensei!" she murmured, and he was so distracted by her words that he didn't realize the senbon she thrust at him as she shot away, chakra speeding her into a tree out of sight. He cursed a little, realizing that, through that simple little attack, she'd temporarily (or so he hoped) blinded his left eye. But what he heard was what was important; she was hiding so his Sharingan couldn't copy her technique.

"Ninpou, Sakura shuhou- Chi Ueki no Butoukai!"

His Sharingan saw a genjutsu overtake the place, but it was strong beyond recognition, and a dazzling delusion.

A whirlwind of sakura petals, both as whole flowers and the petals themselves, of blizzard proportions blinded him. Through the screen of bright colors and the overwhelming perfume, a vision of powerful green eyes flashed before him. To his right, he caught a shimmering glimpse of her moving body. But from his left, a replication attacked, and he threw it away with a little more difficulty than usual. He hadn't realized it before, but the petals that hit him sapped his chakra. Another replication charged him, and this one was even more difficult to throw off.

His only chance was to find the weakness in her genjutsu. With his Sharingan on full-force, he still could find no way to penetrate her attack. Illusions danced this way and that, confusing him more in the blinding storm of blooms, but to his surprise, the illusion changed.

The sakura blossoms turned black. The Sun turned dark, and the now-visible Moon took on the appearance of rotting flesh. He looked down, and before his feet was Sakura's body, bloody, unseeing green eyes staring away from him, her neck twisted and broken. His hands… were covered in her blood. _It's an illusion… just an illusion…! Sakura, why this?!_

Within that brief moment of disorientation, he found an arm draped around his neck, a kunai to his throat, and the genjutsu dispersed. Sasuke had been thoroughly caught in her trap. She giggled a bit.

"You rely on your Sharingan too much. But I don't blame you; as far as my research goes, not even Neji's Byakugan or Jyuuken fighting style can get him out of that genjutsu," she told him off-handedly, rubbing the cold, sharp edge of her kunai against his throat just for emphasis. Behind them, Kakashi clapped proudly, congratulating her for the win, and Naruto failed in an attempt to stand up, and so complimented her from his seated position on the ground. Sasuke noticed this, though, and asked her about it. She smiled sheepishly, healing a few scratches she'd given him.

"Eheh… unfortunately, I have yet to control the actual _range_ of this genjutsu; I put in so much chakra this time to make sure it was unbreakable by you that it probably covered quite a radius. If I forced out more, as I might under serious stress, I probably could've covered all of Konoha in that illusion!" She laughed at her imperfection, thinking it comical, before sobering up and whispering to him. "But that last piece was a separate jutsu, and the others didn't see. My technique didn't have you off-guard well enough to my liking, so I had to do something else, and that was the first thing that came to mind. Please forgive me, but I wanted you to see me fight seriously against you."

With that, she lit up another of her brilliant smiles and bounced away, pouncing on their old teacher and nearly squeezing the life out of him.

What none of them noticed was that, this time, his hands hesitated to return the gesture.

* * *

At exactly five o' clock, Sakura walked through the door, her sensei escorting her politely today, rather than having Naruto or Sasuke do so. Why he had insisted on taking her home himself that day, none of the team could guess.

"Tadaima! Mom? Dad?" Sakura called out, wandering into the kitchen. Her parents' familiar faces were there, as well as that of a fellow Chuunin she had first met at her first Chuunin exam. Kamizuki Izumo was definitely handsome, but his presence in her house made her uneasy; he was a familiar face at the Academy, and they had been on missions together several times, but they were never close in particular. Had she done something wrong? Had something gone wrong on a mission, or was there a new one that Tsunade desperately needed her to take? She hesitated in the doorway, but behind her, Kakashi bowed respectfully, addressing her parents. Confused, the words spilled from her mouth. "Mom… Dad… what's going on? Were you expecting Kakashi-sensei? What's Izumo-san doing here?"

Her parents' glances met for an instant, and it was her father who answered, and brought the news that shattered her world before them.

"Sakura, we've decided. It's time for you to marry."

* * *

**AN: This is my THIRD TIME posting this. Anywho, a lot of people liked this, so I decided to repost AGAIN. Meh, enjoy, review. I love it when folks rant, so please do. If you're gonna flame, you'd BETTER leave a decent e-mail address or a link to some of your own work; otherwise, I might blow up at you. Prove you've got a right to be critical. XP**


	2. Procceedings of Inquiry

_**Note: **Okay, I should be accurate on ages. When Sakura and the others graduated Academy, they were 12, and Kakashi was 27, Kamizuki Izumo 24. So, don't go throwing up a fuss. I don't care. Which makes Sakura now 16, Kakashi 31, and Izumo 28._

**Chapter 2- Proceedings of Inquiry**

Sakura had tried to understand. She'd tried to reason with them. She hadn't understood why they were doing this to her. Betrothal? She'd known it was quite commonplace, but had never expected to find herself in that situation.

"_We've narrowed it down to two candidates. Kamizuki Izumo, or Hatake Kakashi. The choice is yours."_

But the choice _wasn't_ hers! She didn't want an arranged marriage! How could her family do this to her? They knew perfectly well she still loved Sasuke-kun very much.

"_That's what we're afraid of, Sakura. That boy betrayed Konoha once; he very well may do it again, and we don't want you to be hurt again or corrupted if he does."_

She was a proud kunoichi of Konohagakure! She was the apprentice of the Godaime! She had become Chuunin, and was preparing for the Jounin exams! Wasn't she good enough for them? Wasn't she satisfactory?

_"We've had to face the facts that you are weaker than the other kunoichi your age, Sakura. We've also had to notice that you're irresponsible in missions; too many times have you unnecessarily put your life on the line."_

Her dreams were chipped away piece by piece as she tried to understand her parents' reasoning. By the time her father had shouted to argue no more, and that the conversation was over, the pink-haired girl could no longer stand. She was weakened, lacking will to move, all energy so far gone she hadn't even the ability to cry. But as she was lifted by strong, somehow vaguely familiar, arms, all she could do was hold on for dear life to that presence, though her grip was pitifully weak, and stare into empty space, a horrified brokenness resting painfully on her features. That presence, she didn't want it to go, but it laid her on her bed, removed the outer layer of her kimono top and her sandals, tucking her in gently. She vaguely heard a familiar jutsu cast over her, but before she could even register the gentle hand that tucked a wisp of hair behind her ear, she was oblivious to the world and all her problems.

* * *

Sakura woke up to an excited twittering of birds and warm sunlight flowing through an open window. A movement registered to her right, and she shot up in bed, and watched as her mother set out a nicer set of clothes for her than she was in the habit of wearing. Were they going somewhere? What had happened? The woman looked over at her, a frighteningly blank look on her face.

"You are to meet Izumo-san this morning. Remember, we told you, only two weeks to choose between them, Sakura," she stated flatly, walking out of the room without a sound. The air that had felt so light and wonderful now felt oppressively hot and heavy, and her limbs felt like dead weights on her body as she moved to take a shower and dress herself. Her mind was numb; the perfunctory motions were performed with no supervision from a conscious self. It was as though the day before was repeated; her hands subconsciously tied her hair back, again, in that same cute, short little ponytail, re-tying the white bow around it as though in a show of sweet and childish innocence. "Sakura! Hurry up! You have to meet Izumo-san at the Korean Barbeque place in fifteen minutes! You'll be late if you don't get a move-on!"

Unseeing eyes glanced at the clock, mind refusing to register that it was nearly noon. She did not respond to her mother's coercive tone, but simply walked out the door, habit being the only thing that did not let her forget her purse and weapons. She walked slowly and heavily, and a greeting from her old friend Ino fell on deaf ears. The blonde watched her pass by, the kunoichi's shoulders straight and everything looking perfectly normal, save the estranged, lost look in her beryl eyes. The mind-walker called again and asked if she was alright, but again, the kunoichi did not realize she was present, and continued walking to her destination, a place she had been often with Ino and the rest of Team 10 in the past few years since Sasuke and Naruto's departures. The bell rang rather loudly as she entered, and that, coupled with the bright greeting given her by her… date… finally pulled her out of her stupor. She greeted him quietly, taking a seat in the secluded back booth he'd reserved for them.

"I haven't kept you waiting long, have I?" she queried politely. He shook his head, the cascade of chocolate brown hair that hid his right eye shuffling softly against his skin, his smile friendly and open.

"Not at all, Sakura-san. I only just got here a moment ago myself. What would you like to drink?" he asked politely, noticing the still slightly-distracted look that plagued the corners of her eyes. She looked out the windows pointlessly, her eyes merely wandering, unthoughtful.

"Water, if you please."

That, though, had taken a little conscious effort. This place carried some of Konoha's finer sake, and she was forever and a day being sent here to order it for her teacher; she'd nearly done the same thing again, but had managed to refrain. She almost laughed a little at herself for the mistake she'd threatened to make. The waiter brought them their drinks, the mugs frosty from the freezer they were kept in. She took a sip, the last of the fog clearing from her mind as the biting cold liquid eased down her throat.

"Sakura-san, I'm sorry for the shock this… must have given you," her comrade said gently, his brown eyes softening sympathetically. She smiled sadly.

"Yes… it was a shock…" she murmured, fingering the cup again, watching the paths her warm fingers left in the thin ice that coated the glass's outer layer. She shook her head, deeming to try and make it through this, however… shocking and… _earth-shattering_… it was. "But it's alright; I'm okay. I'm sure that… I'll… be alright."

She had tried to sound determined to make the best of her situation, but… she had still ended up trailing off in the end, upset at the outcome her future would face. The elder nin smiled at her sympathetically again.

"Izumo-san… do you know… _why_ my parents chose you and Kakashi-sensei? I'm surprised that they didn't pick a shinobi… closer to my own age. Kakashi-sensei is fifteen years older than I am, for heaven's sake!" she ended, obvious confusion in her voice, though it was a relief for the man that it had gotten stronger at all. For a few minutes there, he'd felt as if he was walking on eggshells. A familiar exercise, and not an easy one. He sighed, cocking his head to the side pleasurably, laughter shining in his eyes just a bit.

"I'm not completely sure, either, Sakura-san. I think your parents wanted an older man who could protect you, and who could keep you better; financially established, perhaps of well-repute, I don't know. I'm closer to your age than Hatake-kun, but even I'm twelve years your senior, so like you, I don't comprehend their choices." He smiled at her pityingly; her eye twitched, and this was her favorite expression, he had learned from studying her on missions, that heralded her banging her ample forehead against the nearest solid object, putting a dent in whatever it was in the process. At this point, her most likely victim was the table which was, thankfully, covered nearly-completely with the sizzling grill that was currently cooking their lunch. His hope was that the hot thing would act as a deterrent. And thankfully, he was right. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile as he restrained a chuckle at her frustrated look. "But I hope that, whichever of us you choose, if either, that you will do what makes you happy."

She shot him a grateful look, and together, they ate lunch and learned of each other, spending the rest of the day together and keeping her mind away from the strange behavior of her family.

* * *

As Sakura wandered in that night, a slightly happier expression on her face, she stopped at the kitchen, and looked at a note on the refrigerator.

_Sakura,_

_You've obviously gotten in very late. I hope you'll be home at a more decent hour next time. Your father and I have been called away on a sudden one-week mission; we will definitely be back in time to hear your decision, so don't avoid Izumo-kun and Kakashi-kun. Do your work, and think over whom you will chose. If you don't choose one, we will choose for you._

_Take care of things,_

_Mom_

Of course, the note dampened her mood, and all she could do was fall into bed in a new bout of depression. But upon her pillow was yet another, though more hastily written, note.

_PS: You have a date set with Kakashi-kun to meet at your old training grounds tomorrow at noon. Don't you **dare** be late!_

_Dad_

She stared at this one blankly, another eyebrow suddenly quirking at it. Amusement? Curiosity? Annoyance? Somewhere in between these emotions was what she felt at her father's harried, almost illegible, handwriting. But still not feeling quite as good as she had when she got home, she tossed the note to the side, burying her head in her pillow and moaning before allowing herself fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

Beryl eyes shot open, nearly instantly blinded by bright sunlight. Why oh _why_ hadn't she thought to set her alarm? It was nearly 11 o' clock, and if she didn't hurry, she'd be _late!_ She didn't _care_ if Kakashi was always two hours behind schedule, she, Haruno Sakura, was _never late._ Needless to say, her clothes were off before she hit the floor, and the hot-water heater barely had any work to do after her shower, she was in and out so fast. Her clothes, a pink Chinese top and pair of white cargos, was too girly for her taste, so she opted for the top's near-twin, a dark-green version. She didn't even realize how much green was in her closet anymore; she didn't care; it was the perfect shinobi color. Her black sandals were the only ones handy- had her mother hidden her blue ones again?- and she hopped down the hall on one foot at a time, pulling them on.

Within fifteen minutes from the time she woke up, Sakura was out the door, hairbrush in one hand, hitai-ate in the other. The words "I'm late" had become like a mantra; why on _earth_ did she have to live on the _exact opposite_ side of town from her training grounds? And why did Konoha have to be so friggin' BIG? The chakra generated to her feet in frustration left a hole in the roof of the building she shot off of. At long last, though, she arrived- with barely a minute to spare. Needless to say, she nearly fainted from relief.

"Now-"

"Sakura? I'm surprised you made it after how late you were out last night."

The kunoichi nearly jumped clear out of her skin; Kakashi was… _on time_? She turned around and stared at him blankly. Would wonders never cease…

Wait a minute, how did he know she was out late? After the initial shock of him not being late for once, it left her to wonder. And why was _he_ here at the right moment? She could tell he was smiling at her behind that mask.

"I'm not late, am I?" She stood up dazedly and moved to examine him. No fever, obviously not a genjutsu or ninjutsu… what on earth could have happened?

On the other hand, Kakashi was quite amused with her actions. He had known to anticipate some kind of strange reaction, but this one was definitely one of the sweeter things to have expected. She looked so innocent and full of wonder as she tried to confirm that this actually _was_ her sensei, standing before her, exactly right on time.

"Sakura." She looked up at him, emerald eyes wide. Even if she was sixteen, he was still a full head taller than she was. "I reserved a table for us at Ryuuzaki's for 12:30; we should get going if you don't want to be late."

And of course, the last comment left her even more dumbfounded, as it usually seemed the Copy Nin never cared whether he was late or not. But as he took hold of her arm and tugged her lightly, and her feet simply followed as though it were her only option at all, and as though it were simply the perfect thing to do, besides. He walked slowly, however, his pace leisurely, and soon she found her arm linked comfortably through his. They remained quiet as they went, Sakura out of shock, Kakashi out of familiar ease. There was no strain in the air at all; it was casual, just like the silver-haired Jounin himself, and once her surprise wore away, she found him rather pleasant company, even in silence.

"Kakashi-sensei-"

"Sakura, I'm not your teacher anymore; you're Tsunade-hime's apprentice, and no longer my subordinate. Just call me Kakashi," he said, smiling down at her a bit as they entered one of the busier thoroughfares of their hometown. She nodded hesitantly.

"Kakashi… do you know why my parents chose you and Izumo-san?"

"I have my guesses. But I think I'll keep them to myself for now."

There was a enigmatic glint in his visible eye, one that left her only to wonder. They were right on time to their appointment, and the server led them to a secluded booth. Sakura half expected him to pull out a certain, familiar dirty book (which she had made a point of stealing from him more than once), but it was no-where is sight, much to her pleasant surprise. But where to start a conversation? He was definitely a quiet one. A wry smile danced across her lips for a moment, catching his attention.

"What is it?"

"Introduce yourself." The curious look only intensified. Sakura laughed a little, sarcasm dripping from her words. "Introduce yourself, Kakashi. You never told me anything but your name, remember?"

The Jounin laughed, suddenly realizing the amusing implications of those two little words. She shot him a look. "Don't you dare try and dodge this time, or I'll beat it out of you just like Tsunade-shishou. I am licensed to kill, and have the right to know, this time."

For a moment, she could've sworn she saw him look unnerved.

"Fine, fine. So, you know my name… I like to read, I dislike lack of teamwork, my hobbies are reading and sleeping, and… hmm, dreams and aspirations… don't really have any, other than to stay alive until retirement." He was grinning behind that mask; obviously, Sakura had known most of that before she even asked, and he had, by answering, still avoided telling her much of anything. She massaged her temple; it was too early in the morning for this.

"You're hopeless… Kakashi-_sensei._"

She had meant the "sensei" remark to be playful, but she could've _sworn _that a brief moment passed when he looked upset, but she blinked, and it was gone, back to his usual lazy smile.

Those looks were getting a little too confusing for her taste.

"What about you?" She startled, looking up to see a curious little light in his eye. "What's changed since the last time I asked _you_ to introduce yourself?"

The roseate-haired kunoichi hadn't expected such a question. Hadn't really expected a question at all. But as she looked at him, slightly bewildered, she could see him finding humor in the fact that simply returning her question had left her lost for words. Slowly her thoughts finally began to process again, and she answered him.

"Umm… well, I like to read Tsunade-shishou's medical journals, and whatever other technique books I can get my hands on, I dislike Naruto when he's being a pest, and Ino when she's had a fight with Shikamaru _again_… Hobbies… training, practicing my medical techniques and… oh, you don't need to know that last one…" she trailed off, thinking better of her other, recently acquired hobby, not noticing the intrigued glint that passed through the man's eyes at the hint of something hidden. "Dreams and aspirations… oh, that one's tied to that hobby… eheh… well, I guess it's to make it through this betrothal thing without going absolutely insane."

She shrugged, fiddling a bit with a buckle on her pants. She really hadn't thought about herself like that in a while; it was kind of surprising she could answer him at all! Nearly her entire life consisted of training with the Godaime, the very occasional sparring session with Kakashi, work at the hospital, and _sleep_, wherever she found the time to get it. Half her nights were spent picking up the slack for Tsunade-shishou on the minor reports that she as a Chuunin could handle, and even some of the other work that was left to be piled around her superior's office. Kakashi, on the other hand, was still stuck on that mysterious "hobby" and the dream connected to it.

When their meals arrived (how had he known her favorites, she'd asked him, and he replied that it was "his job to know"…), they ate with a gentle continuing of friendly small talk- a little about her work and his, an interesting procedure that Tsunade had recently conducted, a new technique Kakashi had copied. After a while, the words flowed easily enough, though there was a nagging sensation in Sakura's stomach after a while that she didn't know what was. It was no familiar illness, so she wrote it off as a simple stomach-ache telling her that she'd eaten more than she was supposed to. As they stood to go, she couldn't help but notice that her "date" left a rather nice tip. _And why I thought to watch and see how much he left, I have no idea… it's not like I care whether he's a good tipper or not, right…?_

**_But it means he's generous! _**inner Sakura teased. But this wasn't even half of what caused her to go a very deep scarlet a few minutes later.

"Sakura-chan! What're you doing here with Kakashi-sensei?"

* * *

**AN: Now that I glance through this chapter again, I'm actually considering re-writing this story. More drama, play with the plot subtleties I missed... Oh, well. Maybe, maybe not. Please enjoy the second chapter, minna-chama.**


	3. The Confidante

**Chapter 3- The Confidante**

If Sakura had thought it a blow when it was revealed that she was to be betrothed, it was nothing compared to the absolute shock and horrification she faced the moment she saw Naruto and Sasuke standing at a vendor across the street. Had it ever occurred to her that they would find out? No, she hadn't even thought about it; her "decision" had become of utmost importance. But here, she had to deal with the _very_ dense Naruto, and a Sasuke that looked like something annoyed him immensely.

**_Sasuke-kun is jealous! SHANNRO!_** Inner Sakura crowed, but her more practical mind was getting increasingly agitated.

_Not even **possible!** And you want another reason? I'm betrothed, and he is **not** one of the choices! _But of course, her other side wouldn't listen, and continued to dance for joy in the back reaches of her mind. Kakashi looked down at her coolly before leaning over next to her ear.

"I'll take Naruto elsewhere and explain things to him, and make sure he keeps his mouth shut. You can handle Sasuke, I'm sure," he murmured. To the roseate-haired kunoichi's utter shock, she nearly _shuddered_ at the warm tone in his voice and the light breath that danced down her jaw and throat. Shuddered in _delight_. Inner Sakura was currently poking Outer Sakura to see if, somehow, she had missed something. Their old teacher had successfully confused _both_ halves of her split personality. But within the next two seconds, the man was gone, the blonde nin disappearing with him, leaving Sakura and Sasuke to their own devices. She glanced up at him nervously.

"Your place or mine?"

* * *

"Sasuke-kun?"

…

"Sasuke-kun, please say something…"

…

"Sasuke-kun, I'm begging you! Please say something!"

The shinobi stared at his pink-haired teammate blankly, eyes wide. She fidgeted desperately under his gaze, hands working the corner of one of his couch's throw-pillows incessantly. He continued to stare. She continued to worry at the pillow's corner. She was about to go into a nervous breakdown when…

"My best wishes to you and whomever you choose."

Forget nervous breakdown. We'll skip the nervous breakdown. Yeah. And go straight to heart attack.

She stared at him in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

He sighed, flopping back against the armrest and running a hand back through his hair, as though out of pure relief.

"I wished you well, Sakura. This is a situation you can't get out of, isn't it? Shouldn't it be better just to take it with a grain of salt and move on?"

"Move on?! This is my entire _future_ we're talking about here, not just whether or not one little detail of my life should or should not happen, but something that will completely alter me for the _rest of my life! This is **marriage** we're talking about for heaven's blessed sake!_" For once, it wasn't a smirk that graced Sasuke's lips, but a pitying smile.

"Sakura, I think you haven't been looking at this right." She stopped ranting, listening to him, trying to see if he could prove this to be a less worrisome situation than she thought it. He chuckled a bit, his eyes traveling to stare out the window behind them.

"I think that you're not seeing what's right there waiting for you. Then again, maybe it's just me."

He smiled softly, sorrowfully, at her again. He had been like that, since his return from Otogakure. Quiet as always, but perhaps a bit more protective and loving than he had been before; smiles weren't quite as rare now, though they were still reserved for the best of times. But what was he talking about? What angle could she have missed to this? She was sure she had looked at this every way possible, but even now, he looked as though he were remembering something. But she didn't press it; if he wanted her to know, he would tell her.

"Sasuke-kun… are you really going to be happy for me?" she whispered, her eyes following his out to the sinking afternoon sun. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Sakura, I'll be happy if you're happy. You're my teammate, and a good friend. If you were being forced into a situation I thought you couldn't deal with or come out the better for, I would intervene, not watch idly by."

The kunoichi continued to stare out the window, her eyes wavering on a wisp of a cloud that danced before the sun's path, casting strange and ghosting shadows over her face. Her thoughts flickered back to the way Kakashi's breath had fluttered down her throat from his angle behind her, and she nearly shivered again.

_Sasuke-kun… you know something I don't, don't you? At least… you're a good confidante…_

And before she left that evening, she squeezed his hand once, letting him see in that moment just how nervous she was.

* * *

**AN: I loved writing this chapter. This one and the last one are probably my favorites. (_goes kyuu_) Teehee! SasuSaku almost-fluffiness for those fans out there. This chapter laid the foundation for the sequel to this story, which is a SasuSaku, and most likely to never get posted since a) I don't have the inspiration and b) I don't have the time. Oh well; if it gets up, it gets up, if it doesn't, it doesn't. It's not nessecary (sp?) to this side of the story. Enjoy, REVIEW!!!**


	4. Cryptic

**Chapter 4- Cryptic**

Sakura's pen scribbled furiously on page after page of medical reports.

_It got **this bad **in only **two days?!** _she questioned herself frantically as she swerved around to the filing cabinet for the fifth time in less-than-half-that-many minutes. _Wait a minute… another coma?! For heaven's sake, this poison our ANBU ops keep getting into is a killer! Why didn't shishou call me in when the first case was reported? She **knows** that I have a superior talent for it, more than anyone else in Konoha!_

When a knock sounded at the door, the only reply the nurse received was something breaking against its opposite side, signaling that visitors were _not_ welcome at this time. She turned an unnerved smile on the person that had requested to see the medical kunoichi.

"I must apologize, sir, but she's probably trying to catch up on paperwork. It's best we not disturb her right now, unless you wish to be one of her patients so badly."

The man nodded in understanding. "I'll… come by later, then…"

**

* * *

"Sakura-cha-!" **

Naruto suddenly ducked a pair of kunai thrown his direction, careful not to spill the pair of ramen cups in his hands.

"Naruto no baka! What have I told you about _knocking first_?" Sakura yelled, hurriedly filing away yet another armload of papers. The blonde chuckled a little under his breath as suddenly a loud _growl_ came from a familiar source. The kunoichi stopped mid-step, her eyes slowly traveling across the floor and up to a pair of familiar hands…

_Chicken and mushroom-flavored ramen… my favorite…_

Before he could even register what had happened, the roseate-haired woman had snatched the cup from his hand and was eating it greedily. Never come between a woman and her food, especially when that woman has had dealings with the Godaime. It was dangerous to one's health.

"Not hungry by any chance, were you?" he asked teasingly. But he received no response for his effort. Though she obviously felt it when his sapphire eyes softened on her, because she looked up at him, examining his expression as she quickly finished off the meal. His smile was sad, his eyes deep, and somehow understanding, if not _knowing._ She wondered at it, and he smiled a little more, though sadly, at her curiosity before turning to leave.

"I think you'll be okay, Sakura-chan. I think you don't see what's waiting for you."

* * *

"Naruto said that? Are we talking about the same guy?" Ino asked incredulously that afternoon. An old friend of hers from Academy had gotten injured, and she had come by to deliver some flowers, and had stopped in to talk to the medic on her way out. Said medic, who had thankfully decimated her amount of paperwork left by that time, nodded as she scribbled in a few more places on a form before shoving it in a box to be taken to Tsunade. "The same blonde, clueless, dense, idiotic-?" 

"Yes, the one and the same!"

The insults were getting on her nerves. He _was_, after all, her teammate. She sighed, dropping her pen and allowing her head to rest on her arm.

"I keep getting the feeling that Sasuke and Naruto know something I don't. Both of them have said something like that, and I'm really getting annoyed by all the mystery."

"I can see why," the blonde responded sympathetically. She was about to say something else, but she noticed the distant look in her friend's eyes, as they had turned to stare out the nearby window, and she decided it best not to interrupt her thoughts. She slipped out the door silently, and went on about her business.

_Sasuke… Naruto… am I that dense? What is it you keep trying to tell me? You keep saying that I'm missing something, but what? Izumo-san and Kakashi are both so much older than I am… I don't understand what would make my parents do this!_

"What could… I possibly have missed…?"

But the man listening outside of her door did not understand, and did not ask for entry.

* * *

"Sakura-san!" 

She was surprised to see Izumo waiting for her outside the hospital, as late as it was. He smiled congenially, offering her his arm.

"Care for a late dinner before I take you home?"

"Sure, why not?"

He smiled, and led her towards a familiar ramen stand. They chatted for a few minutes while they waited for their food. He joked and she laughed. She returned the favor. While they ate, she asked simple questions, just for the sake of asking; his favorite color, favorite food, hobbies, dreams, family. He needn't ask of her; he already knew.

"Sakura-san…" She looked up at him from her meal, waiting. He seemed a bit nervous. "Sakura…" She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at how he had decided to drop the title so suddenly. "I'm… going on a mission."

She was sure she could hear the world screeching to a halt in the background.

"Huh?" **_Brilliant answer, idiot._**

"I'm going on a mission. The Godaime says it'll only take a few days at most, so I should be back before your parents, alright?" he asked, a bit of concern in his voice. Sakura could only look at him, stunned and speechless. "You'll have Naruto-kun and Sasuke-san to take care of you, so you'll be okay, right?"

**_Sounds like the brother we never had. Worry wart, of COURSE we'll be fine! This is MOI we're talking about!_** Inner Sakura fussed, disgruntled. It was like he didn't think she could take care of herself. But unfortunately, like it sometimes does, Inner Sakura leaked into Outer Sakura, and the pout that adorned her features let him know that something had made her _incredibly_ unhappy.

"What?"

"Izumo-san, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself." He laughed nervously, a hand reaching back to rub the base of his neck nervously. _Just like something Naruto would do._ But his expression sobered a little bit, his eyes looking… worried? Sad? She couldn't really tell which, but they were there, which ever one it was. "Izumo-san…?"

He turned away from her, his fingers fisting lightly in the cascade of hair over his eye.

"I'm sorry, it's just… I think you underestimate him."

But he wouldn't answer when she asked him who.

* * *

**AN: Tada! Eheh... yeah, you're all probably ready to kill me for waiting so long to update, but honestly, I need reminding! I keep forgetting. (_sighs_) Honestly. And I got a lot busier, too, since I started working. I work part time AND I'm a high school student! My brain is beyond fried. Anywho, REVIEW!**


	5. Totetsumonai

_**Note:** Title means 'unbelievable.' The song is copyrighted by me. It is mine. Do not steal, or I will put up a ruckus that you cannot ignore!_

**Chapter 5- Totetsumonai**

"Sakura, for the last time- _focus already!_"

If anyone knew that Tsunade wasn't a patient woman, it was her apprentice.

But at that moment, her apprentice didn't seem to care.

It was now officially the fifth bone the Hokage had broken during their typical training time, and Sakura wasn't improving any at _all_. In fact, even to be fair about the situation, she was almost worse than in her genin days. Which was ticking the Hokage off _incredibly _bad.

She knew she hadn't been training this girl for three years just so she could revert back to her old self.

Sakura sighed, healing herself yet again. She wasn't focused enough to train today. Her teacher, she was sure, didn't know why. She hadn't told her yet, after all. Telling your teacher that you were getting married and you only had two weeks (now, more like a week and a half) to decide between your two suitors was not a normal thing. That was also one of the reasons she hadn't wanted to tell Sasuke or Naruto, once the problem had reared its ugly head. She heaved a heavy sigh.

"Sui'masen, Tsunade-shishou. I just can't today."

She stood, a worried expression on her face as she dusted off her training uniform. Her teacher motioned to her roughly, bidding her to follow, and she did. They went to one of her favorite places- an up-scale bar that was usually fairly empty in the early afternoons like this. She sat her down across the table, ordering sake for herself and water for her student.

"Tell me what happened."

Sakura still wasn't sure whether the commands came with the strength or the Hokage title, but Tsunade had gotten used to them by now, that was for sure. The kunoichi fiddled with the edge of the solid green table cloth. It was definitely not an easy task, telling someone that you were engaged when you really didn't want to be. But she started as best she could.

And by the end, she'd sped up and spilled more than she had even intended. The woman stared at her blankly. Sakura continued to fidget.

When sake goes untouched in front of Tsunade, you know it's something big.

* * *

After waiting fifteen minutes for her teacher to say something and getting nothing but a blank stare, Sakura finally left the bar and headed towards her old training grounds. Maybe something a little less dangerous… like meditation… would suffice for today. Her nerves were beyond fried.

"Yo."

And Fate really didn't like her. But still she turned and offered a small smile to the silver-haired Jounin. He ambled up and offered his arm to her, and she hesitated only a split second before taking it. If she couldn't spend time with Izumo, she still had one other suitor she had to keep an eye on.

"Kakashi-" she still had to mentally stop herself from calling him 'sensei'- "What are you doing around here? Weren't the new genin teams being split off today?"

Not that anyone had gotten onto his team _after_ their classical Team 7 either, but she still asked that question. It was only their third year of being separated, after all, and Sakura had still trained with him after the dismantlement of their team. His single showing eye crinkled in amusement.

"Yes, but the introductions have already been made and I sent them home to prepare for tomorrow's test."

Uncontrollable giggles seeped from her mouth, and she didn't notice when he smiled a little wider.

"What?"

"Your _test_ is pure brilliance, and it's no wonder you've only had one team," she laughed, but sobered after a minute, a nostalgic smile flitting across her face. "The only reason we made it… was because of Sasuke-kun."

She laughed again at his slightly shocked expression.

"He was the one who first offered Naruto his lunch. He was the one who shot back at you your own words about teamwork. If not for him we wouldn't have become the people we are today." She lifted her head to the sky, unconsciously leaning a bit closer to the older man. "I wouldn't have worked so hard as the Hokage's apprentice… Naruto might never have discovered how he had the potential to be completely taken over by the Kyuubi's consciousness… maybe… just maybe… I wouldn't even be in this mess I so thoroughly find myself caught up in… _now_…"

Kakashi stopped, and her arm caught on his gently, tugging her back to his side from the slight lead she'd gained in the moment. Beryl eyes shot up to meet his of dark grey. That eye… at the moment, it was staring her through, but sorrowfully, soul-searching. For the briefest of moments, his thumb caressed her high cheek, wiping away the beginning of a tear, and within another split second, he was gone. Disappeared.

Her mind could not wrap around that look, that action. What… had caused it? Kakashi had never done anything remotely like that before; he had always treated her like a child… nothing more than a little girl. But he had acted… as though he were _quite_ aware of her womanhood. Had acted… like the western fairytales of a 'knight in shining armor.' Unconsciously, she replayed the event in her mind as she wandered towards the hospital, a murmured a soft, lilting song:

_Unbelievable…_

_Unspeakable,_

_This feeling I find in my heart._

_Like falling,_

_It's so natural._

_I knew what to do from the start._

_Like flying;_

_It's foreign-_

_It shows me new things are not far…_

_And I should have known from the start…_

_It's unbelievable…_

* * *

**AN: I heart this song here at the end. And of all things, it's MINE! Bwahahahaha. Yes, I wrote it, so NO COMPLAINTS ALLOWED! Unless you're criticizing my writing skills, at which I can pull the excuse that this is an old story. XP Enjoy!**


	6. Like Falling

_**Disclaimer:**__ I don't own Mr. Hyde. Who was it that wrote Dr. Jekyll's story, anyway? Can't remember… Anywho, forgive me, but I'm short on knowledge of horror novels; the closest I ever came was this one book where Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys teamed up, and I read that in 4__th__ grade. Made me jump once, too, but like I said, that's as horrific as it gets. Deal. _

**Chapter 6- Like Falling**

The paperwork on Sakura's desk continued to pile up, but currently, the perfunctory motions that filled out the forms had taken over, while her mind was completely distracted. Her memory kept echoing the look that her old teacher had given her. In the end, she was once again left wondering why her parents had chosen him and Izumo as her suitors. But her mind could not wander there long before it came back to the intensity of his eyes.

She pounded her ample forehead against the desktop. This was definitely not healthy.

* * *

When a knock came at his door in the middle of the afternoon, the Uchiha prodigy was surprised. Of course, the horror novel he'd been reading hadn't done anything for his nerves, but the knock at the door, for him, was like lighting a fire to a barrel of gunpowder. He, quite literally, sprang from his seat. But after a split second of registering that, no, Mr. Hyde had not just entered the Uchiha compound, he made his way towards the door, albeit a bit shakily. But opening it to find Sakura there… that was a surprise, too.

"Sakura… is something wrong? Why are-?"

"I had two choices: talking to you or sake. I decided that you were definitely the better choice." He moved aside to allow her in. She collapsed on the couch, head-in-hands, and moaned. He sat next to her, and waited.

"I'm gonna die. If I live through this, I will be shocked." He laughed wryly, a pitying smile on his face. Since when had Sakura become a drama queen?

"You'll be fine."

He was met with silence, but didn't mind. She would talk it out on her own time. In the meanwhile, he ticked off the people in his head, wondering why she had come to him:

Tsunade: Probably didn't tell her, or got a bad reaction when she did.

Naruto: Yeah, right.

Kakashi: One of the problem's roots.

Hinata: Probably watching Naruto.

Tenten: Probably training with Neji.

Ino: Probably too busy playing (really _playing_) with Shikamaru.

It irked him to no end how it seemed that he was the only one she had to depend on at the most critical point in her life. Even if she had wanted to talk to her parents about it, they were, for one, on a mission and, for two, the start of this whole mess. There was no point in talking to them anyway.

"Sasuke-kun… is Kakashi who everyone keeps talking about?" It shocked him to hear that whispered voice, so timid, weak, disconcerting.

"What do you mean?" he asked her vaguely, equally as soft. She laughed softly, head still in her hands.

"You… and Naruto both… you told me that I wasn't seeing what was right there waiting for me. Izumo-san said that I underestimated 'him,' but wouldn't tell me who. You meant Kakashi, didn't you?" He could find no words. He simply nodded. She had lifted her head when she heard no response, and saw him make the confirmation. Her eyes traveled out the window. "What is it about him that you're trying to tell me, Sasuke-kun?"

But when he did not answer, she turned her eyes upon him, imploring. Obsidian met beryl, and a sad smile lighted his lips.

"It's not for me to say, Sakura. I can't say. You'll have to find out on your own." For a moment again, fear, the fear she had only shown him, glinted in her eyes.

"But… what if I don't want to know?"

* * *

Slowly, once, twice, three times.

The swing didn't go very far. It was old and wooden, but in good repair, and did not make a sound as the ropes that held it ground against the wood of the giant old tree. The kids from the Academy laughed and screamed with delight in the park across the street, but she could not smile for them. Beyond their silhouetted figures, she could see the sun setting, only the barest fraction of it's rim still visible above the curve of the earth's horizon.

"You're upset."

She did not bother to turn and look at the one who'd spoken; his soft, purr-like voice was enough identification. But she did not bother to respond, either. She could feel him come to stand behind her.

"Did I do something wrong, Sakura?"

She still did not respond. He walked around to stand in front of her, and knelt before the swing, catching it and bringing the slow movement to a halt. Her eyes, which had not cast themselves upon him, now moved to glance at his upturned face. Still she said nothing, even when the pleading in his only visible eye was apparent.

"I apologize if I've done something to make you angry-"

"You leave me to wonder Kakashi." He started at her sudden, harsh answer. A bitter answer. "How is it that my parents subjected me to this disgrace I wonder, and yet I keep coming back to you. There is something about you that everyone seems to know but me, and I'm beginning to wonder what it is that I've missed. I'm no less observant than I ever was, and yet the people around me continue to say that I've not seen something that's been there for a particularly long time, and quite obviously, it concerns you. Any ideas?"

His eye softened, and his hands moved from the ropes they'd been gripping to fold over the pair of small ones on her lap, and his eyes followed. He no longer looked at her.

"You do know something."

She stated it bitterly, and he could feel her eyes were angry. Yes, he knew, but what he knew, she did not wish to know.

_From her parents' point of view, she was everything they said she was. They never saw her great improvement. Even when I or Tsunade related her accomplishments to them, and showed them her works, they refused to believe us. Said we lied, because we cared for her. They thought she really might do something wrong for Sasuke, if he were ever to ask it of her. They began to discuss betrothal, and were talking to Tsunade about it. Tsunade told me. It was going to be a feudal lord's son, one that I knew; a player, and a drunkard. I went to them, and begged that, instead, they at least choose someone she knew. They saw through me._

_Saw that I loved her._

_They said that they knew Izumo-san would make a good husband and was attracted to her as well, and thus this whole mess she finds herself in. Because of me… because of what I did…_

_Was this folly no better than betrayal…?_

And he wondered at it silently, as he had every day since he had carried her back up to her room, when the thoughts had weighed on her so heavily that she had fallen. When he had listened beyond her closed door at the hospital. When he saw her talking with Tsunade, and followed her to Sasuke's apartment, where he had seen _fear_, true and unadulterated, in her eyes. But she would wait for an answer; she was patient when she wished to be.

"I…" he began, but words were not his strong suit. And he could not explain; it was something her parents had demanded of him. He shook his head, and leaned forward until the cold metal of his hitai-ate met his hands, which still remained around hers and rested in her lap. No words… and someone waiting to hear them…

"Kakashi…" He waited. Her voice was gentler now; perhaps she understood, if only a small bit? "Was I… really a failure in their eyes? Irresponsible, weak? Am I really those things, and have only been fooling myself? I realized for the first time, when we were genin, that I was weaker than either Sasuke or Naruto, the moment you handed me the entrance paperwork for the Chuunin exams. I almost didn't go through with it. But… am I still weak and irresponsible like that? I… for a while, I knew the sensation of failure, but then, with actually _passing_ my exam, I forgot, didn't I? And now… I'm wondering if failure… wasn't really that far away at all…"

She couldn't see the smile beneath his mask. She didn't know about the hot, prickling sensation at his eyes. But she could hear the laugh that started as a breath, and grew, and his body shook with the strength of it as he finally looked up at her.

"The only failure there ever was, Sakura, only belongs to me- I failed to train you as hard as I trained Sasuke and Naruto, and instead, your talents found an outlet that has served you much better than I could have provided for. As a teacher, I failed my student."

_But… as a man… have I failed you… as the one I love?_

A sad smile made its way to her lips, and to his surprise, she embraced him, her arms wrapping softly around his neck. However hesitant, he returned it. And she murmured something to him before they parted that evening, and he wondered at it, quietly, and lay sleepless that night to remember it.

"_Kakashi… you gave me something greater than training, didn't you?"_

* * *

**AN: Yay! This is probably my favorite chapter from this story. It's so dramatic. XD Well, either way, my opinion doesn't matter; yours does. SO PLEASE REVIEW!!**


	7. Like Flying

**Chapter 7- Like Flying**

"Welcome home."

Her father nearly jumped clean out of his skin when he noticed his daughter at the kitchen table, wrapped in a thick robe and drinking a mug of something steamy-hot. Her mother came up behind him and gaped. It was two in the morning… why was she still up?! She glanced up and seemed to eye them critically. "Have you treated your injuries? I see blood."

They silently shook their heads, and she heaved a, seemingly exasperated, sigh, setting her drink on the table.

"Wait just a minute, and I'll be back." And they took a seat at the table. Moments later, she walked into the room with a light medical bag, and told her father to remove his shirt, as it seemed he had the worse of the damage, and he did so, however hesitantly. "Don't worry; these minor injuries don't require any serious procedures, so pain in unnecessary."

And in five minutes, the few bruises present were gone, and the gashes were mending beneath ointment and bandages. She eyed him critically. "Any other spots I need to know about?"

He shook his head, and she moved on to her mother. A few light scratches and one rather deep wound left by a passing kunai, but nothing scary. She was done in record time. She packed all her supplies back in their cases before looking up at them.

"Did the others get treatment?" Neji had been in their squad, she believed. He normally preferred that Sakura heal him, but would settle for Shizune at times.

"Yes… they went to the… hospital…"

She gave a curt nod in response. She had heard from one of the nurses that Izumo had arrived earlier that night, perhaps somewhere around ten o' clock, and he had been treated for one minor injury and sent home. She dug a few things out of the cabinets and fixed some instant ramen for them, handing them the cups and bidding them a brisk good-night.

"Sakura!" She turned around to see what it was her mother wanted. The woman's face had a strange look on it, though suffice to say that the majority was curiosity. "Have you… chosen one yet?"

She gave a secretive half-smile, and left her with only that.

* * *

"Not even. Get back in bed, Neji-san; you've got at least one more day of bed-rest and hospital care before you can go," she told him brusquely. He gave her a disgruntled glance before sitting back down. She tucked the covers around him tightly, and fluffed the pillows behind his back. "Now, any pains I need to know about?"

"Besides you? Not really."

She granted him a wry grin; it was his typical response that had been developed over a very _long_ period of time. At first, she got the standard silence. She was okay with that. Then she got tired of it, and did more damage than healing while 'gently persuading' him to actually say something. Ever since, something like that was what she would gain for her efforts.

"You're… okay, right?"

She startled and looked up and him from where she was changing the bandages on his arm.

"What do you mean?" He made a face.

"I know about you, Kakashi and Izumo. Your parents told me." _Yes, and remind me to scream at them later…_ she thought immediately with a grimace.

"I'm fine. It's scary, but I'm fine. Don't spread it around, though, okay?" He nodded. She paused in mid-wrap, her eyes suddenly widening. She looked up at him slowly, and he returned her a half-interested look. "Who else knows…?"

"Tenten, Lee and Gai. They were all there."

_This whole town is gonna know before the day's out… Gai-senpai and Lee-san are gonna be crying very, __**very**__ loudly over bowls of ramen at Ichiraku and telling their sad-sap story to every__**thing**__ that comes their way…_

He smiled at her sympathetically. "You should've asked me last night so you could keep them drugged until the end of the week. It would've done us both some good."

* * *

And of course, cursed be the day that Haruno Sakura was right about something. The nurses stopped her every two minutes with exclamations ranging from hate-filled curses to whining fangirl jealousy, and sympathy from Tenten whom she happened to meet on her way out. On the street, all her friends gave her pitying looks, and even if Ino had already known (which she had), her attempts at comfort became immediately futile once the medic was discovered by the Konoha Green Beasts, whom promptly pounced on her and began their wailing about her flower of youth all the louder.

"Ano… Sakura-chan, when do you have to give your parents an answer?" Hinata asked quietly, having run into her on her way to meet Naruto at his favorite hang-out. Sakura looked over at her calmly, and smiled.

"Three days."

"Do you know who you're going to pick?"

She smiled enigmatically once again, and walked away, her hand caressing the heads of the two spandex-wearing creatures that her chakra-laden fist had graced, and having the tell-tale bumps disappear. When she vanished around the next corner, she was not seen again.

* * *

For the past two days, Sakura had been searched for adamantly, but to no avail. But on the dawn of the third day, a knock came at Uchiha Sasuke's door, and before him stood the medic that had been so sought for. He smiled wryly, shaking his head and allowing her inside.

"Your parents are about to go out of their minds, Sakura."

"Ii. They're finally understand a little of what they did to me."

He laughed softly, and they took their seats on his couch, like they had done both times before. She smiled, and turned her head to look out the westward-facing window, the midnight black barely showing hints of the pink and orange tendrils that crept across it's shining surface.

"I suppose you've made your choice then."

"Yes."

"You didn't even confirm when your parents or Hinata asked you."

"They weren't to know then."

He paused, and evaluated her slowly illuminating face as the dawn became a littler grayer, a little lighter. That tiny smile continued softly on her lips, and her eyes sparkled.

"Why?" She turned away from the window, her smile broadening a bit.

"Because I wanted to tell you first." He started, eyes widening, mouth falling open just a bit. Why tell _him_ first? It didn't make sense to him. Ino, or even Tsunade, or the person she'd chosen himself would've made more sense, but _him_? He failed to see her logic, and she laughed at it, shaking her head playfully. "You were my first love, and even through this ordeal we have grown closer as friends. You deserved to hear it first."

He sighed and looked up at her. A light shone just a bit in his obsidian eyes, and a soft smiled played on his lips, as it had played on hers.

"Let me guess…"

* * *

Sakura's mother paced the living room floor in agitation, glancing out the window every minute or so in hopes of catching a glimpse of bubblegum-colored hair. But out of nowhere, the expected kunoichi popped into the room with a swirl of cherry-blossom petals, her smile as wide as any had ever seen it.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" she laughed, prancing up and hugging her mother before she had a chance to faint, and planting a sweet kiss on her father's cheek. It surprised them even more when Sasuke appeared out of the shadows, a smirk on his face. When she noted their strange looks between the two of them, she blinked innocently. "What? I told him my decision first, and asked him to be here when I made the announcement!"

And of course, at that, her mother very nearly well _did_ faint. Her father looked up at her from where he supported his wife.

"Your decision?" She looked over at the two men that stood before the couch, and with the biggest grin she'd ever sported, she pounced upon the one she'd chosen.

Hatake Kakashi.

He stumbled back and landed on the couch, the cushion on the other end giving a loud _whumph_ at the impact, his startled gaze shooting up to meet hers, the silent question in his single visible eye plain for all to see: _Why him?_ They all- save she and Sasuke, of course- wondered exactly that. She leaned down next to his ear and whispered.

"_Like flying… feels like flying… You do… Should've known from the start, shouldn't I have?"_

* * *

**AN: Whee! Next one's the last chapter. I heart this story. (_grins_) And if I ever get the time to do so, I will attempt to write the sequel. But you must forgive me; it's only recently that I've been doing "very depressing and dramatic" well. PLEASE REVIEW!**


	8. Unbelievable

**Chapter 8- Unbelievable**

"Kakashi-sensei! What's up?"

Naruto trotted up alongside his old teacher, Sasuke trailing behind as fast as he could while fending off a couple of fangirls. They now constantly exploited his status of being 'available'; apparently, Sakura's relationship with him had been the only thing keeping back the annoying tidal wave for some _years_ now.

"I was just heading home. Ashige will probably be asleep in a few minutes," he said, smiling at them through his mask. The blonde grinned back; a harried Uchiha finally managed to catch up, and he straightened his Jounin vest, a smirk plastered on his face as he spoke.

"How's she been?"

"Much too energetic."

"For someone as lazy as you, I can believe that," Naruto shot at him. The silver-haired man feigned hurt, but only earned a hearty laugh and slap on the back for his efforts. "Just tell her we said 'hi,' okay?"

He nodded, and left down the street, not noticing that, while he was still in sight, Sasuke's eyes followed him before turning away. The lesser roads he took towards their quarters on the edge of the city were little traveled; the Hatake family home had beautiful grounds that surrounded it and separated it from the rest of the bustle of Konoha. The dirt paths were well-worn, but small, and they wandered between great old trees that stood tall, casting comfortable shadows to walk under. His eyes unconsciously closed beneath the cooling embrace he could feel them give; the air was softer, sweeter here. And not nearly so dusty. But once he was to the house, he stepped up onto the porch quickly, and slid the door open, moving inside and closing it behind him again.

"Tadaima!" The call was soft; the sound of him dropping his heavy vest on the foyer floor was louder.

"Welcome home, daddy."

A smile crossed his face when he noticed Sakura waiting for him, his hitai-ate and mask finding a place of rest on the small table that resided in the entryway. Their six-month old son rested in her arms, sleeping noiselessly. It elicited a smile from the man as he caressed the small head of fuzzy silver hair that was barely tainted pink at the tips. He followed his wife as she went to the nursery and set the babe in his crib, winding a small music box on the end table next to it.

"I just got him asleep," she murmured, closing the door behind her. Kakashi pulled her away from the door to rest against him, his embrace soft, yet firm. The mid-afternoon sun flowed through the window, casting the room in a fire-like glow, and sending shadows dancing. She glowed like a flower from that distant star in this light; he loved coming home at this time of day, just so he could see it. She smiled softly, and lifted her head to press a loving kiss on his lips. "We have about two and a half hours to ourselves if we're quiet, you know."

"What do you have in mind, Sakura?" He quirked a playful eyebrow in her direction, and she gave a mischievous smirk as she pushed him back onto the couch.

"I'll give you three guesses," she purred, nipping a bit at his neck, "and the first two don't count."

He captured her lips with his own, seizing her in a kiss of rapture and longing. Hands wandered her body, knowing the favorite places for him to touch: arms, back, neck, stomach. She moaned softly as callused fingers snuck up the hem of her yukata, and his tongue breached her mouth in savage passion.

"You know I love you, right?" she managed to ask as she caught her breath later. Somehow, despite being more than slightly preoccupied, they had made it to the bedroom, and their clothes had come off. Her arms kept his head close to hers as he gasped in the needed air. A smile crossed his features.

"I don't know if I'll ever believe you, Sakura, even if you are telling the truth." A look of reverence crossed his face as he looked up at her. "You know that I love _you_, don't you?"

She smiled.

"Naturally. I had the entire fix solved before we made it to the alter, of course."

"I suppose you asked your parents what happened, didn't you?"

"I didn't have to. Everyone else made it quite obvious." At that, he gave her a curious look.

"How so?" She giggled, pulling his head down a little more, and brushing her nose against his.

"Evidently, when concerning me, you don't hide your feelings well. Sasuke and Naruto knew, and I think Izumo-san suspected," she mumbled, her eyes glittering with laughter. She could see the uneasiness creeping into her husband's face, and a nervous laugh followed. "But it doesn't matter, now."

"I was your teacher, Sakura. I wasn't supposed to fall in love with you," he murmured, a sadness passing over his face. The kunoichi drew his body down against her own and pressed her lips firmly to his in reassurance. His coal-grey and Sharingan eyes looked up at her sadly; she hated when he felt like this, like it was wrong, or a mistake. "I shouldn't have-"

"We've been over this before, haven't we?" she interrupted softly. "I don't fault you. I _love_ you, Kakashi. I've made love to you willingly, and bore your son. And I hope to bear you many more children, because I love you. I'll tell you that as many times as you need to hear it. I don't know why you keep going over it; do you regret loving me?"

"Not at all!"

"Then stop looking back on yourself with disapproval."

He buried his head in her bare shoulder, and she stroked his mane softly. His arms wrapped around her slim waist, and pressed her to him all the more tightly. Tears were threatening his eyes; always, always before he had been alone, and at home was where his tears could flow freely. But now, he had _her_; and on her shoulder, when he could no longer hold them, would he cry.

"I love you, Kakashi." He smiled against her skin.

"Yeah… but… it's unbelievable…"

* * *

**AN: No matter how many times I read it, I still love this chapter. (_grins_) Hope you do too! (_points to reviews_) Apparently third time, as usual, is the charm, because I've gotten more reviews this time around than on either of my first two tries! Please enjoy this final installment of "Crash World"!**

**Please looks for the sequel in the future!**

**Coming Soon:**

_**Crash World II: Broken Wings**_


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